Boss Ruben Amorim argues that changing Man Utd's tactical system due to external scrutiny would have meant "the finish" for him.
In a first against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his customary three-at-the-back formation with wide defenders and chose to deploy an standard back four with two defensive midfielders.
By his own admission this ultimately transformed into a back six in the latter stages as his squad dug in for a crucial result - securing just their second shutout of the campaign.
Although he once notably said that even the highest authority could force him to change his approach, Amorim asserts the ability to experiment with varied setups has always been part of his strategy.
Yet, he clarifies he could only make the switch when his team were doing sufficiently well - or else it would look as if he was bowing to outside criticism.
"When I came here the previous campaign, I recognized maybe I lacked the players to excel in that system, but it was the beginning of a project," he commented.
"We were trying to forge an identity. Now is a distinct moment. We don't have a lot of personnel, and we have to adjust, so they see why we are switching things up.
"It is not because of the pressure of the media, or the fans.
"When media talk about altering the formation repeatedly, I can't change because the players will understand I'm changing because of you and I believe that is a disaster for the manager.
"Once we are playing well in our preferred setup, then is the right time to adapt.
"We will develop into a stronger team because when all the personnel are back, we are not going to employ three defenders exclusively."
Availability Challenges Loom Large
Having only two victories in their last eight outings prior to defeating Newcastle, it is questionable whether Amorim is accurate to state his team have been playing well.
He is, though, operating with a severely stretched roster, with seven first-team players already unavailable for the upcoming fixture against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That figure will rise if playmaker Mason Mount fails to recover the injury that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at half-time.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes is among those who will miss the Wolves clash, even though he is reportedly pushing his manager to let him to return following his hamstring injury.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "However there is no chance he is going to feature against Wolves. No chance. You can write that."
Fernandes' Leadership Endures
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old will likely continue to be heavily involved, as whereas most unavailable players watch matches from a private box, Fernandes was observed keeping a close eye on the warm-ups from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim is sure his captain to continue providing insight.
"The guy is a leader," he stated. "He must not be the type of player that when he is not playing, he's silent and offering advice. He's always speaking. That's why he's the captain.
"He has bad things at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a lot of positive qualities. Even after he recovers, he heads to watch the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects you don't see.
"I'm not sure if he wants my job or not, but he's a leader. The guy is a true captain."
Recovery Schedule for Injured Personnel
While the specific timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - is unknown, before the conclusion of January, the club will welcome back Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental competition.
